free datahttp://www.maclife.com/taxonomy/term/13148/all
enAT&T Introduces Toll-Free Style Sponsored Datahttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/att_introduces_tollfree_style_sponsored_data
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/att_sponsored_data_620px.png" alt="AT&amp;T Sponsored Data" width="620" height="300" /></p><p>Carrier data caps are an unfortunate way of life these days, but what if companies could foot the bill so users don't go over their limits? That's the premise behind Sponsored Data, a new initiative coming soon from AT&amp;T.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.att.com/att/sponsoreddata/#fbid=EFijSLfuLYZ" target="_blank">AT&amp;T announced a new product known as Sponsored Data this week</a>, which promises to alleviate the suffering of smartphone and tablet users with data caps by allowing businesses to pick up the tab while their products are being used.<br /><br />Sponsored Data is similar to making a toll-free call — it costs nothing to the user, but AT&amp;T charges the company offering the data access while users are browsing or downloading their specific content. Smartphone and tablet users will be alerted to such data use by a unique indicator on their device.<br /><br />Unfortunately, the users who need it most will be denied access to Sponsored Data for now: Prepaid devices won't have access to free data, since it's only for postpaid or DataConnect Pass customers. The offer will also only apply to AT&amp;T customers using a data connection in the United States.<br /><br />AT&amp;T Sponsored Data hasn't launched quite yet, but it's already <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/1/6/5280566/att-sponsored-data-bad-for-the-internet-the-economy-and-you" target="_blank">raised the ire of tech websites such as The Verge</a>, who claim the product is anti-net neutrality and complain that it will offer unfair competition to companies with deep pockets. Unfortunately, average users aren't likely to care either way -- they'll probably just be happy surfing the web on someone else's dime for a change.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/att_introduces_tollfree_style_sponsored_data#commentsNewsAT&TCES 2014customersdata capsfree dataNet NeutralitySponsored DataThe Vergetoll-freeweb browsingwirelessiPadiPhoneMacWed, 08 Jan 2014 13:59:01 +0000J.R. Bookwalter19006 at http://www.maclife.comFreedomPop's Free Internet Access Gets a First Lookhttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/freedompops_free_internet_access_gets_first_look
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/freedompop_hotspot_200px.png" alt="FreedomPop mobile hotspot" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />The folks at FreedomPop have a fairly unique offering: 500MB of free mobile internet access, assuming you're willing to fork over a few bucks as a refundable security deposit for the hardware first.<br /><br /><a href="http://leefyock.tumblr.com/post/33202567568/my-first-look-at-the-freedompop-hotspot" target="_blank">Software coder Lee Fyock has posted an interesting first look</a> at the <a href="http://www.freedompop.com/" target="_blank">FreedomPop</a> mobile hotspot, which offers 500MB of free data each month on Sprint's aged WiMax network.<br /><br />The only "catch" (if you can call it that) is that you'll need to pony up a refundable security deposit to get the hardware. In Fyock's case, that was $89 for a Wi-Fi hotspot, although a USB dongle is also available, and cases for the iPod touch and iPhone are also coming soon.<br /><br />Rather than wait for one of those sleeves, Fyock sprang for the hotspot instead, which is ready for immediate availability. "As a tech device, the hotspot is delightful," Fyock writes on his blog. "It’s small, pleasantly heavy, and smoothly rounded. With blinking colored lights. It also has a soft-touch coating so it’s a pleasure to hold as well."<br /><br />While Fyock knew FreedomPop's wireless data wasn't available near his home, a quick trip to nearby Cambridge soon produced a signal, and one that was respectably zippy considering it was free.<br /><br />The FreedomPop hotspot produced 9.36Mbps download and 1.38Mbps upload, although Fyock notes that it didn't take long to burn through 56MB just testing out his new toy. The service also seemed to be quite spotty when inside the old brick building where he works.<br /><br />All in all, the FreedomPop hotspot appears to make for a nice free companion for any iPhone or iPad user, assuming you don't use more than 500MB of data in one month. Be sure to check out <a href="http://leefyock.tumblr.com/post/33202567568/my-first-look-at-the-freedompop-hotspot" target="_blank">Fyock's entire hands-on at his blog</a>.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a><br /><br />(Image courtesy of Lee Fyock)</em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/freedompops_free_internet_access_gets_first_look#commentsNews4Gdownloadfree datafree stuffFreedomPophands onmobile hotspotSpeedTestuploadWi-FiWiMaxwirelessTue, 09 Oct 2012 13:15:51 +0000J.R. Bookwalter15268 at http://www.maclife.com